Wednesday, December 31, 2008

They say there is another big storm brewing.....and it is coming in tonight!....with lots of rain and WIND!........sheesh!........I have lots of BIG trees close to my house and the ground is saturated now so I am praying there is no damage here....

I am posting this painting I did about a month ago because it looks like a storm brewing......It was one of those paint overs ( unsuccessful painting that I worked over with paint left on my palette at the end of the day).....A view from Rockaway Beach on Bainbridge Island.

10x12 oil on panel

I'll be setting up my Checkers show in the next few days...come if you can.....Checkers is in the Haven Way walkway in down town Poulsbo...

Monday, December 29, 2008

This is the last of the paintings of the heavy snow we had last week. Everything is beginning to thaw now and I have been painting the patches of snow left on the ground ...which has it's own challenges of texture , form and color..I am glad to be mobile once again ....but will miss the peaceful silence and beauty of the big Christmas snow storm of 2008....

5x7 oil on panel . sold

By the way ...I will be showing my recent work at Checkers coffee shop and gallery for the month of January...I'll let you know if and when there will be an opening reception....would love to see any of you that can make it out...

Saturday, December 27, 2008

The temperatures are warming this morning and the snow is beginning to melt but I still have a few paintings of when the snow was at its heaviest.....This little horse farm is a short walk away on Stottlemeyer Rd. The snow was coming down in big fluffy flakes that you can catch on your tongue..

Friday, December 26, 2008

The deep snow is making it hard for the birds to find seeds.....and they are not used to that around here!!.......But......A Christmas smorgasbord has been set out at Mom's feeder for them and boy is there a flurry of activity around the bird seed...........including mice getting the leftovers........ and owls getting the mice getting the leftovers.........Everyone has come to the Christmas Feast...........By the way, the bird feeder on the post is an original "Alderbog Easy Fill Platform Bird feeder"...built at the Bond Rd manufacturing plant right here in Kitsap County!!....Designed by professional nest box and feeder fabricator....Robin Weiss......It is a combination , bird, mouse, owl and cat feeder........and you can order yours at robinweiss@earthlink.net Limit , ten per household...

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

As you can see...The snow is getting deeper!!.......but that didn't stop our rural postman from delivering mail to this house at the end of Sawdust Hill Rd in Poulsbo, Wa............I have been walking for miles around my house taking pictures of the fantastic snowy landscapes, that are transforming familiar scenes into magical ones.

6x6 oil on panel

I think you would need something with treads to make it up this hill!.......The poor Christmas tree guys are suffering the effects of the storm and the economy....=/....

Heres the good news....But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord........

Monday, December 22, 2008

As many of you know or have heard, we had a major snow dump on the Olympic Peninsula!......Good news is, all the craziness and hectic running has ground to a halt ...at least momentarily .....and we can all slow down , listen to the blessed silence and contemplate the beauty, peace and joy that is true Christmas.....I have been enjoying the time to paint and will post a new "Winter" painting each day this week.......

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

A few weekends ago Leigh and Jim had an amazing dinner at the studio for jazz musician Kyle Gregory. I was very grateful to be invited! I love jazz, and this was the best I have ever been privileged to experience first hand....It was one of those spontaneous gatherings of like minded musicians. Joining Kyle was Terry on drums , his wife Tracy on bass and Kevin on electric guitar...

I really enjoyed meeting Kyle.........Please take a moment to visit his myspace site and give a listen to Kyles hauntingly beautiful interpretation of the Beatitudes , featured on his latest CD, "World Downside Up".

6x6 oil on panel

It was fun to watch Tracy with her little boy in a backpack just jammin to the music!!....I think that kid is going to be a great musician!!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

I worked late in Bremerton last week.....the night was clear and the stars were out, so after finishing the job, I walked around the back alleys taking pictures in the dark......good thing I'm not a photographer!!......but I was able to do some sketches from the barely discernible images....The economic crisis as effected my work but it is hard to be discouraged when I have all this extra time to paint!!! sold

Friday, December 12, 2008

I've added figures to this city alley painting, hoping to convey more drama and a story for the viewer to build.....The reflections in the puddles and this sense of entering a dark passage and emerging into the light on the other side keep drawing me to the alleys of Seattle.....

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

I worked on this painting a long time. Trying different techniques to achieve the emotion and drama I was shooting for......a recent post on Marc Hansons blog about nocturnes was very helpful(see Nov 23rd post) and caused me to change directions mid painting with limited results on this piece, but I hope will improve in some of my future night paintings.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

I am delighted to find out that the Longborough Festival Opera located in Longborough, Morton-in-Marsh Gloucestershire,UK, has used my painting, "The Same Moon" for their programme and brochure cover......L.O.F. is a charitable organization contributing to the education of students in opera and other disciplines..

It is also pretty cool that I stopped in London on the way to see my girl, Ann , who I was thinking about when I painted this picture....and she will be stopping in London on her way home from Uganda in May!.... Speaking of the same moon........here is another nocturne I am working on in the studio.......it's 15x30 oil on stretched canvas.......the image that I took has Canadian Geese in the foreground. So far I haven't been able to make them fit into this painting .......They will probably end up in another piece because I kinda like this one the way it is.....

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Have been spending some time lurking in the alleys around Seattle taking pictures......I'm really drawn to the interesting perspectives, the colors and textures of the old brick buildings...seems in Seattle there is always a puddle of water to add reflections and drama to an otherwise common scene.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

I am re-posting this image to bring attention to a well respected charity in Seattle called "City Team". They minister to the needy and homeless in Seattle, providing meals, housing, a safe place to get off the streets and spend the night, some schooling and much needed help in many other ways.

City Team may be closing it's doors due to the economic slow down if enough money is not raised soon. there will be a telethon on Thursday from 6:00 am till 6:00 pm on KGNW 820 am. Please call in and donate what you can for this good ministry to the less fortunate in Seattle.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

It was non stop all day Saturday at Arts in the Woods!.....I still managed to paint this still life demonstration in between talking to folks.....Lots of people came through and it was a fun day.Looking forward to day three and then getting back to my normal routine for awhile....Whew!!

Friday, October 31, 2008

The days are shorter now. Dark in the morning on my way to work, and often times , dark on the way home........This Fall it makes me more melancholy than usual as I dig in for the long winter ahead, working and looking for spring when my girl comes home....the long waiting over..and a new chapter in our lives beginning....... 8x8 oil on panel sold

Arts in the Woods is next weekend!!........Friday, Saturday and Sunday the 7th, 8th, and 9th of November. I will be at the Knowles Studio on Noll Rd in Poulsbo with studio owner, artist and print maker, Leigh Metteer, Abstract artist Jessica McGreal , and childrens book illustrator Richard Jessie Watson........ hope to see you there!!.....I will be doing a demonstration painting during the show.....and there will be coffee and goodies too!.......Thanks for coming!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Couldn't help trying the sunflowers one more time....... 9x12 oil on stretched canvas $200.00

For information on any of my paintings or to find out more about Arts in the Woods where these paintings and more, will be on display , November 7th,8th, and 9th........email me at robinweiss@earthlink.net

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Had this apple that I wanted to paint and I didn't know where to set it to best be able to represent it..............I ended up balancing it on top of the canvas, clamped to the easel....then I painted it quickly.........and had to wash all the paint off so I could eat it!!

Monday, October 13, 2008

I struggled with this painting and have been working on it for several days......I guess I will call it done.........I started this painting the same day I did "Sunflower Rescue"........The wind was tossing the sunflowers around ......a very fall like day!

Thursday, October 09, 2008

I am constantly drawn to, and distracted while driving, by the cool patterns of the spots on cows.....Is that weird?........I love the black and white puzzle pattern of the spots on this guy...Sold

Don't forget!......Arts in the Woods is coming up November 7th , 8th and 9th........Be there or be square!...........In the studio with me will be, studio owner, artist and print maker, Leigh Metteer. childrens book illustrator, Richard Jesse Watson. Also, Jessica McGreal, printer and collage artist. There will be something for everyone plus good food and great company......hopefully I will be able to do some demo paintings as well.

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Yea!!.....Finally got to the studio!........It was a blustery windblown day with rain in squalls and little fallen leaf tornadoes dancing across the field...........but a great day to spend in the cozy studio with good friends and lots of food!!.....We painted all day, listening to music and grazing the smorgasbord of goodies that everyone brought...

These sunflowers were rescued from being blown over in Leigh's garden......Seems that fall is here......I love this time of year!! SOLD

Thursday, October 02, 2008

I will be busy working on the upcoming "Arts in the Woods" studio tour in November. There will be four artists represented at the Knowles studio in Poulsbo. Studio owner, artist and printmaker, Leigh Knowles Metteer. Childrens book illustrator , Richard Jesse Watson . Printmaker and collage artist Jessica McGreal, and myself...The show will be three days , Fri,Nov, 7th, Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th.....Hope to see you there!!

I haven't decided whether I will use this sketch of the kingston ferry dock for a watercolor, oil painting or both......you will have to come to the show to find out!....=]

Monday, September 22, 2008

I have been busy working on my kitchen getting the house ready for my sweetheart. She comes home from Africa in May......=].... At the end of this driveway is where my Mom has her little house and where Annie will be staying until we get married............How can time go so slow and so fast at the same time!!!...??? sold

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Back to my Uganda images.......This Muslim girl glanced back just as I clicked the shutter....We were driving through the outskirts of Kampala , on our way to the airport guest house....I think the image is a compelling portrait into the life of a typical Ugandan citizen.

Click on the image for a closer look

Right now I am fascinated with painting and drawing on this brown paper!.....sorry about the glare.........=/..

Monday, September 01, 2008

It's back to work!.......seems like a long time since I have been able to get back to painting! I felt like I needed to do some warm ups so I did some some sketching on a large piece of brown paper and then decided to paint on it as well and this is what came out............Since the last post I have been gone for a week serving as a camp counselor at a summer camp for the kids off the Yakima Indian reservation in White Swan , Washington state. Our camp was in the beautiful Cascade mountain range near White Pass. This sketch is my friend Patrick at camp, doing what it seems like we did all weekend........running back and forth between activities at camp!!!! ...and everything was on a hill!!! I like the sense of motion in this image. SOLD

Monday, August 04, 2008

I don't get a whole lot of commissions but I had a lot of fun working on this one.........that is after I scraped it once, after a bad start but then kept going and worked it till I was satisfied.......My motto is "never give up" ...and I think it payed off on this painting ......The photo, of course does not represent the original painting very well...., something I have to work on,....setting up a photo booth for taking pictures of paintings with the proper lighting and all......... Sold

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

This man was selling auto parts along the road in Kampala. I was drawn to the colors and texture of the old shipping containers and shacks set up as businesses. The bustle of the city is an orchestration of movement, color , sounds and smells all coming together to intoxicate the senses. 12x12 oil on canvas sold

Friday, July 25, 2008

I took a break in my Africa work to do a presentation on drawing landscapes on site. then I did a plein air painting demonstration for Leigh's Olympic College class on Tuesday night. It was a nice break and a good warm up for some oil painting workshops I would like to do later in the summer. 9x12 oil on stretched canvas...$200.00